John McGuinness MBE finishes ninth in the Milwaukee Senior TT

#1 John McGuinness MBE

Those have to be the windiest six laps I've ever done around here – probably the most physical as well. Everyone who finished these sixth laps must have been gritting their teeth, that was seriously hard work, I had hardly any energy left at the end!

Speeding on my first pit stop wasn't in the plan and it cost me a place. I was just being a bit 'amateur', I had my thumb on the button but it wasn't engaged and by the time I realised, and braked, it was too late, the damage was done. Again I'd been slow in the first laps, which isn't my style, but I got into it and once I was sharing the road with Michael Dunlop and James Hillier I was really enjoying it, even with that wind.

To finish the week with three top-10s (fifth, ninth, ninth) and to be putting in 128mph-129mph laps, I can't ask any more than that. I've been away a long time. Full credit to my Fireblades, they've finished every lap of every qualifying and every race – that's testament to the bike and to the team.

It's been great coming back. There's been pressure, anyone who has sat on that start line, on that road, with the number one plate, on the number one Honda, would understand that. Equally, there's been good times, I now have a cheeky gold TT replica after my fifth place finish in the Superbike TT – my 100th TT – and that's very special.

Glenn Irwin

I was enjoying that race, I was sorry to retire. I took it steady at the beginning, what with the wind. When you're a newcomer and you're not going to win there's not much to gain whether you finish sixth or 16th, so it was steady-away. The conditions seemed a bit crazy, but it was fairly constant so you got to know where the wind was at its worst and be ready for it.

So after I'd settled in, I started picking up the pace. It seemed like with every pit board I was gaining a place and I was happy with my pace on the fourth lap, I was catching Hutchy and Jamie Coward.

In all it's been an intense fortnight, certainly a steep learning curve and it's tough as a competitor, we've done a lot of laps. I've had joy with my result in the Superbike TT (eighth – and fastest ever newcomer) and disappointment with my two retirements but I'll not complain. My thoughts are with all those people who have been affected by the racing incidents that have occurred this week.